Tatyana Savchuk and Randall Hodges have more in common than their combined hiking miles in several countries. Each earned kudos in the Washington Trails Association’s annual Exposure Photo Contest, which drew more than 2,500 photographs.
Fittingly, Hodges was found working when I called him.
“I’m on the Oregon Coast, staring at the ocean in Bandon, Ore. I just nailed a perfect sunrise,” said Hodges, of Mukilteo.
Hodges won an Editor’s Choice award in the contest.
His gallery, Randall J. Hodges Photography, is in Edmonds. His shot of Image Lake in the Glacier Peak Wilderness is featured in the WTA magazine’s current edition.
Hodges has about 25 years as a photographer. The last 16 or so as a full-time professional after he quit his job as a chef. His creativity extends to playing five musical instruments.
Hodges runs his gallery five days a week and is in the field on non-gallery days. Most of his images come while hiking. His favorite locations include Shi Shi Beach in the Olympic National Park and the Sahale Arm in the North Cascades.
“I’m always chasing harder-to-get images,” Hodges said. “It took two full days hiking over three mountain passes.”
Hodges said he hikes about 1,000 miles a year chasing prime images.
“It’s just what I love. I’m always searching for awesome views and great light.”
So far, he’s hiked 23,000 miles in search of images. His goal is 24,000, equal to the circumference of Earth. There’s no relationship between the number of miles and the amount of great images unless a photographer has a plan.
“Know you have an epic location and composition,” Hodges said. “Revisit it until you’re blessed with the right light. When you’re planning, know where and when the sun sets at that time of year.
“There are some locations that I’ve been to 20 times in 10 years before I got great light. This was the third visit to this location.”
Technique is another issue. A lot of hikers don’t want to carry a tripod but a tripod is required for an excellent landscape photograph, Hodges said. His tripod weighs 3 pounds; his camera is a Canon EOS 5D Mark III.
“I’m considered an old-school photographer, I don’t use Photoshop,” Hodges said. “I run my digital camera like an old-school slide film camera.”
Tatyana Savchuk of Marysville won third place in the Offbeat Outdoors category, and her photograph is in WTA’s annual calendar.
“I always had a dream to see a sunrise at Mount Rainier National Park,” Savchuk said. “On one of the beautiful October days, I began my hike to Sunrise Peak point to see the majesty of Mount Rainier to be lighted by the rising sun.
“I was so captivated … I wanted to a touch a sun. I handed my camera to my partner and asked to record this glorious moment. No special technique was needed since nature provided all its colors.”
Savchuk started hiking about 10 years ago, mostly local day hikes in the North Cascades.
“I’m in love with the whole Pacific Northwest,” Savchuk said. “When I moved here I saw that it was an amazing opportunity to explore nature. I got into photography to show people how beautiful it is, that we live in this place and we should take advantage of it.”
Washington isn’t Savchuk’s only locale. She started her photographic travel record when traveling around the world, including scenic-laden New Zealand, Greece and Argentine.
“I was always interested in travel but never got a chance growing up in Ukraine,” Savchuk said.
The WTA member moved to the U.S. in 1999.
Her next adventure is Bolivia and Peru in April, after she graduates from Skagit Community College with a nursing degree.
Hodges and Savchuk keep racking up the miles and shots. Where will your next image come from?
Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
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